Construction for border barrier assessed in Webb County, Laredo activists rally in opposition

Move Texas representative Jesus Ochoa joins the Laredo Immigrant Alliance and community members as they gather at Tres Laredos Park on Monday night to voice their opposition to the border wall proposed by President Donald Trump. less

Move Texas representative Jesus Ochoa joins the Laredo Immigrant Alliance and community members as they gather at Tres Laredos Park on Monday night to voice their opposition to the border wall proposed by ... more

Photo: Danny Zaragoza /Laredo Morning Times

Photo: Danny Zaragoza /Laredo Morning Times

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Move Texas representative Jesus Ochoa joins the Laredo Immigrant Alliance and community members as they gather at Tres Laredos Park on Monday night to voice their opposition to the border wall proposed by President Donald Trump. less

Move Texas representative Jesus Ochoa joins the Laredo Immigrant Alliance and community members as they gather at Tres Laredos Park on Monday night to voice their opposition to the border wall proposed by ... more

Photo: Danny Zaragoza /Laredo Morning Times

Construction for border barrier assessed in Webb County, Laredo activists rally in opposition

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On Monday morning in Webb County, Customs and Border Protection planners were in town to scope out the terrain for possible alignments for a fence along the border with Mexico.

At that same time in Washington, D.C., lawmakers were wrapping up negotiations to fund portions of border wall in the Rio Grande Valley.

And back at home, upon the steps of Laredo City Hall, activists rallied to express their vehement opposition to a barrier going up in their city.

Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, who is on the congressional committee negotiating this issue, said the deal will not be close to the $5.7 billion that President Donald Trump had initially demanded for a wall.

There were around 30 priority areas under this $5.7 billion, according to Cuellar. No. 8 on the list was 55 miles of barrier in Webb County. No. 12 on the list was 65 miles for Webb and Zapata counties.

But as it stands now, Congress has not approved any wall funding that pertains to Webb County.

However the U.S. has a president who has made it clear that he wants hundreds of miles of border barriers, Cuellar noted. This is why CBP planners were in Laredo on Monday.

The feds had never assessed Webb County's terrain for a future barrier, Cuellar said. So when Trump's initial proposal came down to Homeland Security, and it included Webb County, CBP had to send these assessors here, Cuellar said.

They would have been looking along the border, likely in a helicopter, so they wouldn't have to get permission to enter private land, Cuellar said.

However these planners are not policy makers, and this planning step is extremely preliminary, he noted.

"A barrier in Webb County could happen or it could not. That's where we are right now," Cuellar said. "... If there's no money, nothing gets built."

If the funding is in fact passed for a barrier here, Cuellar is advocating for a bulkhead, which is akin to a retaining wall, or a shorter wall similar to what is currently along Laredo College.

Meanwhile, at City Hall, representatives from MOVE Texas, the Laredo Immigrant Alliance, the Rio Grande International Study Center, Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid and others proclaimed their abject disapproval of outsiders deciding to put a wall up in their community.

Sister Rosemary Welsh of Mercy Ministries noted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's comment that a border wall is "immoral," and the subsequent critique of this word by other Democrats in Congress.

"Well is it moral or is it immoral to be racist? To look at people that are along this particular border, that look a particular way? I don't see any wall going up in Canada," Welsh said.

Attorney Carlos Flores said he wanted this message to be heard beyond Laredo, up to Ohio and Minnesota.

"People who have never been to our community and don't know it and are not aware of it. We live here in Laredo everyday. My children are being raised here. I'm telling you, we don't need a wall. We don't need it. We're safe. ... It's important for people to know that this is America," Flores said.

One by one, people stepped up and proclaimed why a wall would be detrimental in Laredo. Behind them fellow activists waved American flags.

Later Monday, while Trump was holding a rally in El Paso, the Laredo Immigrant Alliance gathered at Tres Laredos Park to show opposition to the border wall.

"As President Trump visits the border to tout his anti-immigrant policies and pitch his racist border wall, we find it critical to raise our voices in solidarity with members of the El Paso, Texas border community, and others across the Rio Grande, to reject his policies of division and hatred," the alliance said in a statement. "We remind the President that — contrary to his false insecurity narrative that maligns our region as nothing but a lawless and dangerous place — border communities are resilient, diverse, vibrant, and safe.

"Rather than going on tour to spread lies across the Rio Grande, he should be working to unite lawmakers and listen to the American people who soundly reject the wall and support providing a pathway to citizenship for hardworking immigrants and their families."

Julia Wallace may be reached at 956-728-2543 or jwallace@lmtonline.com. The Washington Post contributed to this story.